“Eastwatch”, Sunday’s episode of HBO’s phenomenon TV series Game of Thrones pleased fans with lots of reunions and a few unexpected revelations. It was also one of the episodes which brought back a few characters that everyone loved a few seasons ago. Ser Jorah Mormont came back and reunited with Daenerys Targaryen and it was a point when everyone believed that she was going to kiss him. Also, Gendry, the Baratheon bastard son came back and offered to help Jon Snow in the fight against the Whitewalkers. However, there was a moment which left almost every fan wondering. It was the mysterious letter that Arya found hidden inside Littlefinger’s room.

What does that letter mean?

In order to better understand the source of that letter, fans should remember the very first season of Game of Thrones. Back then, Ned Stark still had his head on his shoulders, winter was still coming and the war hadn’t yet started. So, immediately after Robert Baratheon died, Ned was arrested in King’s Landing. That was the moment when Cersei told Sansa that she should prove her loyalty to her. So, she wrote a letter back home to her mother Catelyn and brother Robb Stark. This way, Sansa avoided being deemed a traitor and being executed like her father. In the letter, Sansa was basically asking her family to swear allegiance to Joffrey.

The letter that Arya finds inside Littlefinger’s mattress in the exact same one Sansa sent back in season 1. It’s not surprising that he knew everything about it. It’s surprising that he managed to obtain it. Littlefinger got it from Maester Wolkan who ensures him that this is the original letter and doesn’t have other copies. Still, as the manipulator he is, Petyr Baelish is probably looking to obtain something with that letter.

Littlefinger’s plan

Firstly, he most precisely put the letter there precisely for Arya to find it so that she could change her opinion about her sister. It’s worth noting that Arya doesn’t know the context of that letter. So, as far as it concerns her, Sansa betrayed her family. Secondly, he surely has a clever plan this time too. He probably wants to create animosity between the sisters so that he could gain power. After all, he’s the one who thinks that “Chaos is a ladder”.

A new research which comes from the experts at the University of Maryland School of Public Health is claiming that consuming energy drinks could lead to people becoming cocaine users. According to the researchers, people who admitted they consumed energy drinks every year between 21 and 24 years of age had a much higher risk of becoming cocaine users. Also, they had a much greater risk of taking up problem drinking or taking prescription drugs for various, non-medical purposes. This study included 1,099 volunteers. The experts started analyzing their behaviors when they were just 18-years old.

Energy drinks can lead to cocaine use

It’s also interesting to note that the study revealed that those people who stopped consuming energy drinks after the age of 24 had a decreased chance of doing cocaine or taking any other kind of substance. According to an expert, there are a lot of factors which contribute to those people’s need to take on substance abuse. From the influence the entourage is putting on some young people, to some modifications in those people’s brains. All those things play a big part on someone’s developing process and therefore, in their decision-making abilities. And sometimes, those people prefer to take drugs.

There is also another problem, the expert explained. Regulations do not affect energy drinks as much as other beverages or foods. The only regulations considered right now have to do with the amount of caffeine those drinks contain. So, parents should be very careful when it comes to their child’s drink preference. It may seem harmless now, but it can lead to serious problems in the future. It’s also worth noting that energy drinks like Monster, Red Bull or Rockstar are among the best-selling drinks in the United States.

Too many young people consume energy drinks

The same study suggests that one in three young American adults consume energy drinks frequently. Moreover, about one half of college students have admitted to drinking them over the last month. However, there are other experts who are saying that this recent study failed to provide a cause for all this. We know people and young adults are consuming them, but why? Maybe they’re tired, maybe they have too much work to do or too much to study. Still, this shouldn’t make a teenager turn to energy drinks.

When it comes to Star Wars’ Supreme Leader Snoke, we are all like Jon Snow: we know nothing. He briefly appeared in The Force Awakens, but only as a hologram issuing orders to Kylo Ren and General Hux. Normally, you wouldn’t want to see an extremely dangerous and mysterious villain up close. However, Star Wars villains have always been fascinating. Fans are eagerly expecting a glimpse of the real version of Snoke, as ugly as it may be. It seems like the upcoming sequel will see Kylo Ren reuniting with his master and fans will finally see the real Supreme Leader.

Supreme Leader Snoke

It’s also worth noting that recent images from the movie have shown a new type of guards. They are called the Praetorians and will protect the Supreme Leader. They are completely dressed in red. Also, they are supposed to pay an homage to the crimson Imperial guards who were protecting the Emperor in Return of the Jedi. According to Rian Johnson, the director and writer of the upcoming movie, the Emperor’s guards didn’t look like they were ready to jump into a fight at any moment. However, they were surely trained. In the case of the Praetorian Guard, Johnsons said that they remind him of samurai.

They got their name from history books, from the guards that were protecting the ancient Roman Emperors. As for Snoke, since the release of The Force Awakens, fans have tried to come up with theories. Many concerned the real identity of this mysterious figure. Johnson explained that the upcoming movie will indeed reveal more of who Snoke really is, but still, not too much. So, fans will probably have to wait until the final part of the trilogy to fully understand his history.

A mysterious villain

Andy Serkis, the actor behind Snoke, will reportedly be a much bigger part of this movie than he was in the previous one. Johnson explained that even if practical effects have always been a big part of Star Wars, Snoke is a completely motion-captured character. This prompts us to believe that he will play a big part in the upcoming movie. Star Wars: The Last Jedi comes out in cinemas on December 15.

It appears like Theon Greyjoy, the deeply traumatized and scarred Iron Islander made a comeback in the Game of Thrones TV series. Fans noticed that he is still deeply affected by the ordeals Ramsey Bolton put him through. This made his role seem smaller and when he had a chance to redeem himself, especially in front of his sister Yara, he blew it off. He chose to jump overboard and leave her in the cruel hands of their pirate uncle and Cersei ally, Euron Greyjoy. He later showed up at Dragonstone where Jon Snow stopped himself from killing him. Jon also said that he is still alive because he helped Sansa escape Ramsey. But what is next for Theon, a completely unstable character who went through a lot since the beginning of the show?

Theon Greyjoy, where to?

One cannot call Theon the most courageous character or the most skilled fighter in Westeros. However, he is surely the most traumatized one, having gained the nickname Reek from Ramsey. In the first seasons of the show he was this arrogant individual who ended up betraying the Starks. From there, his life completely changed and he became a shadow of the once imposing Theon Greyjoy. For three seasons he served Ramsey Snow, a period of time during which he lost various parts of his body. However, maybe even more important for his character were the mental wounds. They changed him into a puppet, an almost brain-less silhouette, who would do anything to not suffer again.

Gemma Whelan, the actress portraying Yara Greyjoy, said during an interview that she understood Theon’s desperate act. He chose to leave his sister there because in those desperate moments, he was no longer Theon. He was Reek. And Reek would have jumped over board to avoid pain. And in a way, it’s understandable.

What’s next for him?

But Theon probably has a plan. He came back last episode and avoided being murdered by Jon Snow on the beaches of Dragonstone. Now, he probably wants to convince Daenerys to go and save Yara from Cersei’s hands. Also, it’s possible that Theon might join Snow and his team in their quest to travel north and kill the Whitewalkers. This could offer him a way out and redeem him a little, especially in Jon’s eyes.

Those who have read the A Song of Ice and Fire series of books by G. R. R. Martin might have noticed that a certain character didn’t make an appearance in HBO’s popular Game of Thrones TV series. In the books, after she was killed during the Red Wedding, Catelyn Stark was brought back to life. Since then, she has been roaming Westeros with the aim to brutally murder those who did her or her family wrong. However, don’t expect a Jon Snow-like resurrected version of Cat, but more of a zombie, bloodthirsty creature. Now, it seems like some eagle-eyed viewers noticed a bizarre hint in one of Sunday episode’s scenes.

Lady Stoneheart

According to some fans who have pointed this seemingly creepy clue on Reddit, it all happens during the scene when Arya, freshly-returned to Winterfell, is training with Brienne. Sansa quickly notices them sparring and watches over them from the castle, along with Littlefinger. At one point, the two are talking and an eerie silhouette passes behind them. But what prompted those fans to consider the return of Catelyn Stark is the appearance of this figure and the moment she appears at.

The entire scene is not very long and can be easily watched carefully and numerous times. It begins with Arya approaching Brienne as she is training with Podrick. After Brienne notices the beautiful dagger the girl is carrying, the two begin sparring. It’s worth remembering that Bran offered that dagger to Arya after Littlefinger gave it to him. According to the Stark brother, Arya will need it more than he, a cripple, will. While the two girls keep fighting and talking, Arya asks Brienne if she swore to protect both of her mother’s daughters. That is the precise moment when the silhouette appears.

A book character brought to screen?

That woman is wearing a long dress that’s a dark color of green, like Catelyn used to wear. Also, their hair looks alike. It’s auburn, long and wavy. The figure is keeping her head down all this time, and the sequence only lasts a few seconds. Many fans believe that this could be an homage to Lady Stoneheart. A clue that she is still watching over her children. Still, it’s a really interesting little hint.

Fans of the worldwide phenomenon called Game of Thrones might remember something that happened during this seventh season premiere episode. Jon Snow, now The King in the North, sent the wildling Tormund to Eastwatch-by-the-Sea with the mission to keep it safe. And with an army. It was an expected move, as the Whitewalkers are expected to invade Westeros from that direction. However, it wasn’t until we found out the name of the upcoming fifth episode that we understood the importance of that castle. The next episode is called “Eastwatch” and could hint at a very big battle that will supposedly take place there.

The importance of Eastwatch-by-the-Sea

During the first episode of the current season of Game of Thrones, Jon Snow explained to Tormund that the Night King, the ruler of the Whitewalker army, was somewhere near Hardhome. He continued by saying that Eastwatch-by-the-Sea is the nearest castle to that area. Probably, the Whitewalkers are going to try and take it. This is why Jon and the others must be prepared. Still, not many people know the details about this mysterious castle, which the Night’s Watch actually owns. It’s located, as its name suggests, to the East, where the Wall meets the sea. It’s also interesting that it’s one of the last three such castles left to defend the Wall, all belonging to the Night’s Watch. The other two are Castle Black, which everybody should know, and The Shadow Tower.

This castle appeared again when The Hound had his vision in the flames, also in the premiere episode. So, if we are to take this into account, along with some scenes which appeared in the trailer for this season, we might reach an interesting conclusion.

An epic battle

The trailers showed Beric Dondarrion along with The Brotherhood Without Banners marching towards Eastwatch too. We now know that The Hound is with them. So, the only possible outcome would be a meeting between all those characters. Also, the trailer for the fifth episode is showing how convinced Jon is to go back north and head towards the castle. The Whitewalkers are approaching. Now that they have the Dragonglass they came for, those creatures must be destroyed. So, a meeting between Jon, Tormund, The Hound and The Brotherhood is very possible. Especially in the next episodes of Game of Thrones.

According to a recent study which the journal JAMA Psychiatry published this week, a larger number of American people are drinking alcohol. What’s more frightening is that there is also a growth when it comes to those people who drink way over the limit. Even up to a point when their habits become dangerous for themselves and for the people around. An agency for alcohol research reportedly sponsored this new study which analyzed the drinking habits of people between 2002 and 2013. After questioning thousands of American adults, the team reached the conclusion that over this period of time, people began drinking more alcohol. It’s even more worrying that women, older people and even some minorities also saw an increase in the drinking habits.

Americans drink more and it’s a problem

According to what the researchers have said, the fact the more people drink alcohol could mean that the country is exposed to a national health risk. Experts have linked excessive drinking to lots of problems, from diseases to mental issues. These categories do not include the violence, car crashes and sometimes even murders committed by drunk people. It’s interesting to note that an older study showed that the drinking habits of people decreased from 1970s up until the 1990s. After that, those numbers began growing again. In 2013, about three quarters of people in the United States admitted they drank alcohol within the last year. Each particular group of people registered an increase, but it was more obvious in women, older people and minorities.

The same study suggests that women nowadays consume over four drink each day, while men consume over five. And this reportedly happens every week of the year, which is extremely worrying. There is also the problem of abusive drinking up to the point where it causes life problems. For example, divorces, the inability to take care of children or even trouble with the law. It can also lead to a dependence of alcohol which often needs professional treatment.

Worrying numbers

It’s still a mystery why those older people have begun drinking more than in the past. Still, the fact that they do is a very big problem. Older adults are vulnerable to more health issues and sometimes, alcohol consumption can even cause death.

It appears that recently, a team of conservators from the Antarctic Heritage Trust have discovered a hundred-year old fruitcake. It may sound silly, but this sweet delight was baked around the time Robert Falcon Scott made his famed Terra Nova expedition. His adventure started in 1910, and considering that the experts found the cake in almost perfect condition makes this a very interesting discovery. Reportedly, the company Huntley and Palmers, which doesn’t exist anymore, made this cake. The researchers reportedly discovered it inside an abandoned hut near Cape Adare. This was a very important place because it acted as a camp and landing site for the earliest explorers of the Antarctic continent.

A hundred-year old fruitcake

It’s also very interesting that the tin box in which the experts found the cake was extremely degraded. However, the fruitcake inside appeared almost ready to eat, as if it was baked a few days prior. AHT has its base in New Zeeland, and it started preserving artifacts in May last year. Since July 2016, they have managed to recover about 1,500 valuable artifacts. Lizzie Meek, the program manager of the charity said that in just a few weeks, the conservation of those artifacts from Cape Adare will end. So, to discover such an amazingly well-preserved cake among many other degraded objects was really a shocking experience.

She continued by saying that its presence there is not actually as surprising as people might think. A fruitcake is an excellent source of energy for those long Antarctic expeditions. Modern day travelers still eat it whenever they go to a place which has a lot of ice and snow. Also, the history behind this cake is fascinating. Robert Falcon Scott reportedly took such fruitcakes with him on expeditions. He did the same when he started the so-called Terra Nova one, in 1910.

An interesting history lesson

Even if the expedition was supposed to be a scientific one, Scott had the ambition to become the first man to ever reach the South Pole. On January 17, 1912, they succeeded. Unfortunately, upon reaching their destination, they found out that another team had beaten them by 34 days. The entire team died during the return journey. So, it seems like this fruitcake could have provided them with some energy on their trip.

According to official numbers coming from Centers for Disease Control, more people are using a condom whenever they are having a sexual encounter. This is very good news. However, this increase is still not enough for experts to stop worrying. Other reports are saying that only one third of men in the United States and one fifth of women are saying that they use a condom. So, this is still a huge number of sexually active adults who are still practicing unsafe sex. This situation could prove alarming. Mainly because there are many people who have still not understood the importance of safe sex, for both partners and for the people around.

Condom use on the rise, still not enough

The United States federal health organization has reportedly asked over 11,000 women and over 9,000 men about their sexual protection habits. Those people were between 15 and 44-years old. The answers the experts received shocked them. A small percent, about 23% of women and 33% of men used this easily-accessible protection method during the last time they had intercourse. It’s also worth noting that this research took place between 2011 and 2015. The results showed an improvement when it comes to condom use. However, it’s still very small. Also, not enough for a decrease in sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies.

It’s also very alarming that women are actually the ones who registered a decrease in condom use. An older study which took place between 2006 and 2010 showed that only about 25% of them are habitually using one. Now, the situation has gotten even worse. Only about 23% of women have used a condom the last time they had sex. The same study said that only a very small percentage of people, about 14% of them, use a condom absolutely every time they have intercourse. According to those, refusing to use one means that you don’t love and respect your partner. Also, that the relationship should end immediately.

It’s all about being responsible

Doctors are reminding everyone that condoms are acknowledged as being the safest contraceptive method. It protects both partners not only from unwanted pregnancies, but from sexually transmitted diseases and infections too. So, everyone should see this as a matter of responsibility and show respect towards their partners.

Some scientists from the United States have reportedly managed to create some genetically modified pigs. The purpose of their project was to offer some help in the organ donor crisis that is taking place right now in the world. The team reportedly extracted some DNA viruses from 37 pigs. This was the last obstacle in the way of making transplants with pig organs. However, everything might not be completely solved. There is still a danger because human bodies usually reject pig organs. So, this is the next step in making this transplant process a reality.

Making pigs even better organ donors

The team of scientists at eGenesis reportedly analyzed some cells from a pig’s skin. This is how they managed to discover 25 porcine endogenous retroviruses. So, after numerous tests, the scientists came to the conclusion that those viruses were dangerous if they escaped into the human body. The solution to the problem was to use the revolutionary technology called Crispr. These practically erased those 25 viruses from the pig’s genetic code. The last step was to use the same cloning technology through which Dolly the sheep was created. The experts created embryos by putting the cells into an egg belonging to a pig. However, because this process is so complex and difficult to complete, the experts don’t consider it very efficient. Still, they managed to create 37 such piglets.

According to one of the researchers involved in the project, those little pigs are the first of their kind. They don’t have those viruses inside them and are completely healthy. Also, they could get an award for the most genetically modified creatures in the world. The main purpose of those efforts was to make transplants with pig organs possible. This way, this crisis affecting the medical world would end and many lives would be saved.

Making xenotransplantation possible

According to official numbers, there are currently over 100,000 people in the United States who are waiting for an organ. In the United Kingdom, their number reaches 6,500. And while this is only a first step in making this revolutionary accomplishment, it’s certainly a very important one. Scientists can do a lot of things from here because they have the base they needed. The next step is to find a solution so that human bodies accept the pig organs.